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FAQ 02
Qu. 2. To Rack or Not to Rack? Ans. Having a rear rack extends the luggage carrying capacity of the bike, making it an essential for self-supported touring. An added bonus is the extra stability achieved when the bike is parked or fully folded. The rack has a cast alloy grid load deck supported by light alloy struts. It bolts onto the rear dropouts and the rear brake assembly. It provides attachment for twin rear rollers, the rear lamp or reflector and a route for any dynamo cable. Earlier versions provided a mount for a bottle dynamo. The rack has built in elastic cords. The recommended load is 10Kg. A rack equipped, R model bike weighs 0.4Kg. more than the equivalent rackless L model. When to decide. A rack is a £60 option if factory installed. If purchased later, the rack kit of parts costs £105. Although purchase at a later date costs £45 more it does mean that you have the L mudguard set and can swap from rack to rackless and back at any time, in about half an hour. Thus one bike could be used to commute and tour. Use the Brompton bike builder at http://bikebuilder.brompton.com/ to help you evaluate weight and cost options. Benefits. More luggage space - Permits the use of the Brompton Rack Sack – 16L capacity. Users report successful carriage of various oversize items and rucksacks strapped or bungeed to racks. Mobility – With the (recommended) Eazy Wheels the bike can be pushed round more easily reducing the need to carry. Protection – Obviates mudguard damage due to harsh parking. The rear rollers of the R version hit the ground earlier than the L version roller during some parking action. Air travel – The rack provides a stable base for the packed bike and offers additional protection against rough handling. Stability – The rack makes the parked or fully folded bike more stable. The latter is an advantage to those using railway luggage racks or bus luggage platforms. Shopping – Allows the bike to be used as a shopping cart when fitted with a front bag and drawn along by the handlebars. Aerodynamics – The Rack Sack presents a smaller frontal area than Brompton front luggage, reducing drag. Disadvantages. Weight – The R version weighs 0.4Kg. more than the equivalent L model, significant when carried far. Folding – If used, the Rack Sack comes with a shoulder strap but is attached by straps and Velcro. This prevents the instant park mode and increases the folding time. Weight distribution – It is generally acknowledged that the Brompton handling actually improves with loads added to the front of the bike. Ideally the rear capacity should be used once the front load limit is met. Low Mounting – This precludes the use of standard, big wheel bike panniers. Vibration – The rack is bolted directly to the rear triangle and, other than the tyre, there is no suspension between it and the road. The amount of jolts and vibration transmitted to the load will depend on the rear tyre pressure. This makes the rear rack unsuitable for carrying delicate items, laptops or camera equipment. Related items. The Brompton Rack Sack. http://brompton.com/spares/part/6314/brompton-rack-sack-rear-luggage-c-w-strap Rack Sack installation sheet http://bikebuilder.brompton.com/admin/uploads/qpart/6314/ds-rbag.pdf Brompton Eazy Wheels. http://brompton.com/spares/part/6262/eazy-wheel-set-bikes-with-rack-version-r Brompton Retrofit Rack Kit. http://brompton.com/spares/part/6315/r-rack-set-complete-inc-mdgd Rack installation instruction. http://bikebuilder.brompton.com/admin/uploads/qpart/6315/ds-rc.pdf Prices as at October 2014.